


Unhuman (Discontinued due to being rewritten)

by orphan_account



Category: Deus Ex (Video Games), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alchemy, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Augmentations (Deus Ex), Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Insomnia, Magic, Other, Post-The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Self-Hatred, Witcher Contracts, medieval(renaissance)/cyberpunk crossbreed augmentations, sorcery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:47:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22366648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The year is 1290...It's a time of great innovation in magic...And technological advencement...It's also a time of chaos and loss of humanity...I don't even know if I can stay neutral...I've never had a choice of what happened to me...Companies and sorcerers have more power than royalty...~~~~~~The only The Witcher/Deus Ex (Cyberpunk) crossover we truly need...
Relationships: Past Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia - Relationship
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. He never asked for this...

"Master!" unknown voice appeared "We're losing him!"

_"Don't you think that mage is, uh, suspicious?" he asked turning head to white-haired man beside him "Hiring two witchers to kill one golem..."_

_White-haired man sighed "You know brother, sometimes I have a feeling that you are a little bit too paranoic."_

"Inject more potion!" Another voice, this time harsh "He can take it!"

_Entrance to the dungeon was... spacious. Giant chamber ended with what they were facing- human-made bay with ornate doors to-what they were thinking it was-laboratory complex. And right before it, there was their target. Lumbering beast made of crystaline material was glimmering softly in dim light from the opposite end of the chamber._

* "Stay with me witcher! Stay with me."

_"What are we going to do?" white-haired man asked._

_"Take blizzard and distract it" his companion said "and be careful."_

"His face is bleeding!"

"Leave it be, it will stop. And you better start heating up that silver."

"Yes master."

"Make it liquid."

_"Why blizzard? It's just-."_

_"See?" scar-faced man said pointing at the golem "It's shiny"_

_"And your guess is...?"_

_"Salt"_

"Master! He's waking up!"

Scream.

"Let him. And fasten that belt around his neck."

_Suddenly the golem crushed his friend against the ground._

_"GERALT!"_

"Where's this arm prosthesis?!"

_Before he could do anything, the beast sent him flying across the chamber. Sound of crushing bones filled the air when he fell on the floor of cave_

Suddenly air filled with smell of burning flesh. His whole body felt like if it was on fire.

_Crystaline monster came for him and stepped on his right leg, completely destroying it and pinning him into the ground. Then a man entered the cave and golem froze. Like if it never moved before._

"Melt it faster!"

"Open this grimoire for me and show me the symbols."

_"Cut him off." the man ordered his two companions._

_It was him. THAT mage._

_Then there was nothing. Only black void._


	2. Wolves asleep admidst the trees...

This night was going to be horrid.

Even though the window was open and this night was neither too warm or too cold, he couldn't sleep. Something was just not right. It wasn't about room's temperature of course. Neither it was something about the bed he tried to sleep in nor the sheets on it. It was something inside him that didn't let him sleep. Last bits of Lapwing potion from today's hunt were still rushing inside his veins, making him twist and turn. Too warm. Too cold. Too warm again. Then a little itch somewhere deep in his back muscles. Then a slightly stronger itch somewhere else. And then it was too warm again. A slight tingle appeared in his shoulder and hip joints, then it transformed into burning sensation that was with him most of the time during last weeks. At this point it was definitely more manageable than before but sleep still was not there. Even trying to mute his brain and not think about anything didn't work. It only made things worse.  _ That wyvern should've killed me, _ he thought,  _ I should've bleed to death by evening. _ But he didn't. The moment reptile grabbed his left arm and started pulling and tightening it's jaws, he knew the stab he was about to make was going to be his last. But in the end he was here, lying in bed and desperately trying to shut his brain off. Of course, his chest and shoulder ached but his arm was still in the right place. He raised and looked at it. What he saw was not skin, not flesh damaged by wyvern's fangs. What he saw was sort of a gauntlet made of silvery-white metal and high quality leather. It was not a piece of armour, even though it resembled it. It seemed both so natural and artificial at the same time, made in such a way he could put on any pair of gloves and no one could tell a difference between his palms and those of any other man. Light metal shined softly in the moonlight, seeming almost unreal. Ah, yes, that wyvern could not rip off his limb... because there was nothing to rip off anymore

What was he even now? Construct? A part-construct? What would happen if we was in the blast radius of one of his dimeritium bombs? Would his limbs just stop working? What...

_ I should stop asking myself questions like that _ , he halted his thoughts.

He was still looking at his hand, still both amazed and terrified by how an artificial replacement can be so much natural yet still better than organic limb. Every single one of the subtlest moves and gestures was even more refined that it was before, fluidity of his movements was just outstanding and...

_ But at what cost? _ , he suddenly asked himself.

What cost? A life. The life he had before all of it. Normal life full of witchering, of blood, of pain, of booze, of... Geralt.

What even made them accept that contract? Greed? Need of adventure? Boredom? Why Geralt couldn't listen to him at least ONE MORE TIME? Why Geralt always said that he was too paranoic? Was he really?

_ Maybe It's all my fault... _

He wanted to scream. Right now.

_ You. Fucking. Idiot. _

He desperately wanted to shut off this damn brain. Of course he couldn't. Why was he even trying in the first place? It was not possible right now, maybe when potions' effects will wore-off he will just blackout. Who knew really. Mixing Lapwing and Thunderbolt together sometimes produced such outcome several hours after taking them. That sweet embrace of darkness was everything he needed. Just some time without his brain going wild. Some time.

But this squishy fucker inside his skull still had something against falling asleep.

Suddenly his pillow felt too soft. Then too hard. Too soft again. Too everything at once. It smelled of long winter nights at Kaer Morhen, of warm vine, of smoke, of... Geralt. This worn pillow was one of the only things he managed to retrieve from his old home, amounts of history stored inside it were overwhelming. History of cold restless nights, of bruised youngsters they were so many years ago, hugging tightly eachother to not freeze to death. History of cuddling for the sake of cuddling, for this sweet feeling of comfort and safety in embrace of someone you love. His white-haired friend was never truly interested in something more than a friendship. And after he had this little thing with Triss and started being with Yennefer, they grew apart more and more actually. But he always felt this slight tingle in his heart when he was around Geralt. Always. When White Wolf seemed to not care as much about him anymore, he cared and that was enough. 

They never had a chance to talk about it.

_ And we'll never have _ ...

It was the first time he cried in so many, many years.

* * *

Soft wind gently creeped through this pleasant summer night, slowly going here and there, carrying freshness for anyone willing to welcome it in their sleep. Bats were all swaying in the breeze... But one soul lied anxious, wide awake, fearing nothing yet still unable to rest.

Eskel had lost control over anything in his life. It just... fell apart. Without any hints it would in such a short time.

He needed to regain this control...

Or at least fool himself of doing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeeeeellllll, uhhhhhhhhhhhh... I don't know what to say actually. Please, excuse me for my poor English, it's not my first language.  
> But anyways, it's like, uhh, the first time I've felt my own creation so much... I know I'm cruel for him, but what is a cyberpunk( or deus ex) crossover with main characer being hurt in one way or another?  
> I know Eskel may seem out of character, I know... sorry  
> Also I'm experimenting with exploring witcher potions and what they may cause each one, separately or mixed with other. Yes, I'm bringing back potions' side effects from TW2... it just feels bit more real than taking potions in Wild Hunt  
> Yeah, uhh, that's it I guess


	3. More than human

The sun has already started to set when the boy noticed a silent tension growing between him and the witcher he travelled with. When this silence even started? He didn't know, he already lost his sense of time. It happened a lot recently, especially when he tried to ask questions older man called 'unnecessary'. In fact, they were not. Every question is necessary and has it's own sense... At least that's what his mother told him. Though she was a wise woman and had experience in rising kids, his mother was no longer in charge, he was an apprentice of a powerful mage! Well, not now actually, as his master left him behind and fleed... Somewhere. Was he still boy's master? That was definitely something to think through at least one more time. Not now of course, he can think about it when they'll set up a camp or something like this. Yes, he will wait with it. But now... he was bored. And tense of course, as apparently he somehow managed to at least mildly annoy his witcher.  _ Wait... my witcher? _ , he asked himself,  _ Did I just... _ . Suddenly he flinched. 

"Somethin's wrong?" said witcher asked, as if he could notice even the slightest movement... even from behind his back.

"No, nothing." Boy answered quickly.

_ Don't ask further, please, don' ask further... _

"Let's say I don' believe you but okay then."

"Why you do not believe me?"

"I know something's going on, I can sense it."

"I, umm..." boy spaced out for a moment.  _ In the holiest of hecks, what am I supposed to say now? _

Witcher just looked at him.

"You know, I don't really want to talk about it." Youngster started playing with reins nervously "At least not now."

"Alright then." He shrugged.

_ What I've got myself into? _ , boy asked himself. The thing is, no one could give him an answer. 

Suddely older man dismounted the steed and just stood here for a moment, looking around, then he focused on one patch of short firs before them. Then he started rummaging through saddlebags.

"What's happening?" boy asked nervously.

"Bunch of bandits, I think. Gotta deal with them but first..." witcher spoke while putting bombs in a pouch "First I'll go and see if I'm right."

"How do you..."

"I smell them. Don't ask how, it's a witcher thing."

"How do bandits smell?"

"Smoke, blood, gunpowder, sweat, horses, poor quality food and maybe some shit from time to time. Pretty similar to moving armies honestly, just less intense."

"How do you know how do moving armies smell?" Boy asked even more surprised than before.

"Been somewhere, saw things, usual stuff when you're over a century old."

Youngster was just sitting on grazing donkey and having the most 'what the hell?!' face Eskel ever saw.

"Just another witcher thing, kid. And now just let me go."

It all started with a bomb being thrown. And then the hell went loose.

Explosion broke some smaller trees, revealing an unfinished camp, now with old sheets soaked in fresh blood, with stray body parts laying around, some hanging from branches. A bunch of remaining cutthroats came running out of nearby thicket, charging towards him. But he remained steady, with sword in his hand, patiently waiting for armed men to advance. 

First bandit got closer and tried to strike him with a mace. A quick step to the side and a thrust to the side to leave him drowning in his own blood. Another man coming, already swinging a huge zweihander towards him, screaming with anger. Rapid dodge, another thrust to the torso and another man down. Then he saw them. Riders. Rushing out of forest on probably stolen, mostly mangy horses. But one animal caught his eye, standing out from the rest, with shiny, pristine white coat and mane.  _ I want this one _ , he thought. Ivory steed distracted him a bit, as he reacted to heavy axe coming at him a bit too late. The blade sliced through his shirt and muscle, making him flinch. But adrenaline rushing in his veins stopped the pain from coming, as he made distance between him and the attacker with a sudden casting of Aard, then jumped behind him and struck with pommel in the back of head while crimson splotch on his shirt grew bigger.  _ Another fucker _ . This bandit hestitated a bit before attacking, so he went down with just a simple, swift cut to the neck. Another one coming from behind met his end with a slash coming from a pirouette. 

_ Five down, now the riders _ . Four remaining men circled him. Eskel casted Quen on himself and prepared for defense. They all turned inwards at the same time, with weapons in the air, ready to strike. First he stepped between two from incoming horses, then cut through the neck of a visibly lame one. The other one was too slow to turn, giving him time to stab the man on the ground. With shield of Quen still active, he grabbed the samum bomb and threw it to the side, sound of explosion scared two horses enough for them to flee, losing their riders. The last - the white one, was stepping in one place, refusing to go forward.  _ Perfect _ , he said to himself. Leaving two men on the ground, one with broken neck and the other with a hole from a thrust in his skull, witcher grabbed a crossbow from behind his back.  _ Easy boy, don't go... Stay where you are _ ... SWOOSH. Bandit started shaking in saddle, still kicking horse's flank but with every moment his movements faded. Crossbow bolt was sticking out of his neck. Man looked in the eyes of his killer, trying to throw some slurs at him. From destroyed windpipe came nothing but wet gurgling and dark blood.

Before reaching for reins he grabbed the dying man and without hestitation threw him to the ground. Bandit was still convulsing premortally, with crimson liquid still gushing from pierced neck, yet still he tried to talk. But all he managed to let out was nothing but unintelligible gurgling noise. Before he could pass out in peace, cutthroat's head was smashed under witcher's heavy boot. 

"Wha-"

He turned his head while reaching for reins. He saw that kid standing there visibly shocked.

"What did you just do?!"

"Got rid of bandits," he answered, "That's what I did."

"But-" boy looked around frowning "-They're all..."

"Dead," witcher interrupted "and what of it?"

"No..."

Witcher looked at his companion questioningly.

"You just... Massacred them! You slayed them like some wimpy piglets!"

"You'll have to get used if you have to go with me."

Boy just glared at him.

"Do you regularly go on killing sprees like that?!"

"No," he said calmly, now petting horse's forehead "I don't, why asking?"

Youngster stared at corpse with smashed head.

"We should start cleaning up this mess, don't you think?"

"Wha-Wait, you're bleeding!"

"I know. What of it?"

"Uhh..." boy was visibly confused, "Don't you think we should stitch that?"

"Oh boy. Trust me, we have more important things to take care of than just a small cut."

"SMALL CUT?!"

Witcher looked at him a bit puzzled.

"Show me your front... Full front, turn more..."

Older man left out a loud sigh.

"Oh fuck, you look like if a vampire feasted on you! And you call that a small cut?!"

"Oh calm down kid, I'm gonna be okay, I've had worse."

"But-"

"I told you to start cleaning up that shit," he went back to the previous topic. "We'll have to burn all those bodies so they won't attract any ghouls."

"GHOULS?!" youngster panicked.

"Are you really that oblivious, boy? Dead bodies attract things that eat them. Isn't that, like, basic knowledge on how world works?"

"You haven't told me about ghouls!"

"I haven't told you about many things. Please, go gather those loose body parts over there and put them in one place."

"And what you will do in meantime, huh?"

"Move bodies. Don't think you could handle them."

"But-"

"I will stitch it. Don't panic kid, I can take care of myself."

_ ~Later~ _

Both men were standing before a shallow ditch filled with dead bandits and some loose body parts, all covered in oil.

"So," witcher started, "are you ready?"

"Uhh, for what?"

"For litting that bonfire, what else?"

"Oh..."

Boy stared at the corpses for a moment.

"Umm, do we have a flint somewhere?" youngster asked.

"We don't need it. Take a step back."

He obediently executed witcher's command and watched what would happen. Older man made a strange, quick gesture with his left arm and suddenly the dead bodies combusted like a bunch of dry twigs.

"It will smell for a while, at least necrophages won't come."

"Uhh, why?"

"They don't recognize the smell of burnt meat as food. Just another thing you need to know."

"Oh..."

They stood watching flames slowly turning corpses into indistinguishable black lump.

"Let's get back to the camp," witcher said already going in said direction.

Boy noticed a slight limp in older man's gait.

"Uhh, are you alright?"

Witcher looked at the boy a bit puzzled.

"Is everything okay? You look hurt, is there anything beside that cut on your chest?"

"Wha- Nah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." He said and sat beside the campfire.

After a minute or two boy joined the older man.

"You're not fine, you can't fool me, old man."

"Oh please, everything but NOT 'old man', boy!"

"Master witcher, please..."

"Stop it," he said calmly, leaning againt a tree trunk.

A moment of silence.

"Everything hurts after every fight, I can't do anything about that but get used to it."

Boy looked at him with watery eyes.

"You didn't have a chance for proper recovery..."

Witcher just shrugged.

"I never asked for this. They said they made me more than a human, I don't believe them."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't need to be," again he just shrugged, "you were just executing orders."

"I didn't want to do this," boy exclaimed almost crying.

"Hey, don't be a crybaby, it'll be alright. I know that, you were the most scared and confused of all those boys."

"I still have nightmares about that."

Boy was crying.

"Your screams... The smell of... Of... burnt flesh and blood..."

Older man left out a sigh.

"Putting a witcher through horrendous tortures may result in the quietest torture session ever or having nightmares for the rest of your life... You were not ready for it and your master knew that."

"I had to... to be... obedient..."

"Fucking bastard. Don't worry, we'll catch him someday."

"And then?"

"I don't know."

Silence fell between them as they watched more and more stars blinking on the night sky.

"Eh, it's late. Go to sleep boy, tomorrow we'll be back on the road, you have to be well-rest."

"And you?"

"I don't need much sleep."

Another moment of silence.

"There's... There's one more thing I wanted to ask you..."

"Hmm?"

"I don't know your name yet, what is it?"

Sigh.

"Eskel. And yours?"

"Brennan."

"Then goodnight Brennan."

Witcher watched the night sky while boy was falling asleep.  _ What a pleasant night _ , he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes, let's continue my poor usage of English language and me showing that I don't have any writing skills. Also my first fight scene ever, yayyy!


	4. Update caused by lack of updates

Uhh, hello?  
Yeah, y'all noticed that I haven't updated it in years, yeah I know you're all sad  
Because of what was happening since this fic got last update, I just don't feel good with continuing my work on it. Don't get me wrong, I still like this idea of witcher/deus ex(cyberpunk) crossover but I feel like some things should be changed. Most probably everything, from the plot itself to character design. Also I just... Let's say I just don't feel like witchering anymore


End file.
